Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-03-31
I,R. IEONiRD'S LATEST BENoN>TRi 4
TIoN IND IT'S Fruits.

Rev DR. A. Il. Leonard came 10 Spring
field, from Piqua, 10 preach in the Central
,his Old church, and St Paul VI. f.. editiceS.
Dr. Leonard is supposed to he soldier OF
the cross, follower ut the Lamb. and
one would infer that aS loyal Methodist
preacher. his purpose in coming Ia Spring
field, was to promote the cause of Christ in
the churches of his own denomination
that purpose of that sort would he the
primary and supreme motive OF his visit.
II he had entertained different purpose he
ought not to have cnme-or. rather. II he
had come he should have kept him
self ont of the Central and -. Paul
pulpitS. We all know that pr. Leonard iS
very ardent third party pr"hbiti"niSt,
but il wa> 81 widely advertised that he was
t. speak al regular meetings Of his parti-
sans that il was supposed that he would
have ample opportunity for expressing his
partisan political views without working
them off in the presence Of his ardent re-
publican brother and total abstinence CO.
worker. Rev. Dr. Eunyan, present pastor
Of Central church. and that grand and hon
est Christian man, Peter Slack, m the place
where they had met with their brethren. &"
worship G0d-ln his sanctuary.
We do not know what pr. Leonard aCtm-
ally said. in the affair which occurred in
Central church. Sunday morning, accounts
of which have been telegIaphed Ia the
country, and We do not believe that he
knows. Ii seems quite certain that all he
said was no, written down in his
his manuscript One thing is TN
questionable - namely, that he used
the word prohibition. and the Doctor
very well knew. that the hare, simple Use
of the word in the circumstances. was equiv
alent to the tlouriShng OF red fiag i'll the
face of wild bull. Certainly, it elected
unseemly demonstrations of applause. and
singing rebuke from the veteran l'eter
Slack. Aud. on Wednesday evening. a
pious sister felt moved 10 pray for Dr.
Runyau. the pastor. and to the general ef-
feet that the presiding elder. Rev. Frank
6. Mitchell. might be truly converted, and
bildl iIt ~tdlt'N idAi mum MS
eyes" Precisely what she did say. We do
not know. nor does she. God only knows.
Now. the cheers. and what Mr.. Slack
said and did. and what this good sister said.
were the direct fruit Of what Dr. Leonard
said in Sunday mornings sermon, and the
fruit of that utterance has been state of
very unwholesome and hurtful excitement
in Central church. in which its Christian
unity has been greatly disturbed and its
rounsels divided. From the standpoint OF
Dr. Leonard a. a Christian minister, he
must see that this is very bad and very un-
promising result: that great harm has al
of Christianity in this city. and that. there
fore. he must have made very great mis-
take-a very serious and disastrous blunder.
And if Dr. LeonardS primary purpose in
coming here was taS il ought not
To have been. he being a Christ
ian minister to create political capital
for the prohibition party. the mistake was
monumental. pyramidal, Alpine. Repub-
iican Methuii>t~ have been aroused Ia
white heat of excitement and they will do
ten times the work at the polls against Dr.
Leonard's party that they would have done
had Dr. Leonard preached good. old-fa,h
ioned Gospel Methodist sermon in Central
church and saved his prohibition alluSionS
and opinions for Monday evening. ~,
Dr. Leunard'> standpoint NAV
have been-religious or political-he made
a mountainous mistake and did very serious
harm 10 whatever or all causes h. may be- /
supposed Ia represent.